Building the International Space Station (Photos)

She's a Beauty

Credit: NASA

Sunlight glints off the International Space Station with the blue limb of Earth providing a dramatic backdrop in this photo taken by an astronaut on the shuttle Endeavour just before it docked after midnight on Feb. 10, 2010 during the STS-130 mission.

So Lonely

Credit: NASA

The Russian-built Zarya Control Module was the first piece of the International Space Station (ISS) to take flight in 1998. Here it sits alone in space waiting for additional components and eventual human habitation. The module provides battery power, fuel storage and rendezvous and docking capability for Soyuz and Progress space vehicles.

It Takes Two to Tango

Credit: NASA

The Unity node (in payload bay at bottom) is connected to the International Space Station's (ISS) Russian-built Zarya Control Module (top) during the STS-88 flight aboard NASA's Endeavour space shuttle in December 1998 and was the second major piece to join the orbital outpost.

From Russia With Love

Credit: NASA

The Russian-built Zvezda Service Module (at top with spacecraft attached) was launched atop a Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on July 12, 2000. The Zvezda provides living quarters and performs some life support system functions for the International Space Station.

All Trussed Up

Credit: NASA

Launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Oct. 11, 2000, the STS-92 astronauts installed the Z1-Truss at the International Space Station (ISS). Inside the Z1 are four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) that provide the International Space Station's attitude control. A third pressurized mating adapter was installed on the Unity Node, providing an additional Shuttle docking port. A Ku-band antenna provides television capability.

Get Your Wings

Credit: NASA

The space shuttle Endeavour launched toward the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 30, 2000, where astronauts installed the P6 truss and the platform's wing-like solar arrays during NASA's STS-97 orbiter mission.

Rip It Up

Credit: NASA

A close-up of the large tear and a smaller rip (to right of larger one) on the one of two Port 6 solar wings on the International Space Station.

Harmony, Italian-Style

Credit: NASA

The Italian-built Harmony connecting node and its PMA-2 shuttle docking port hang off the end of the International Space Station's robotic arm during a Nov. 14, 2007 move by the Expedition 16 crew

Hope of a Nation

Credit: NASA

Backdropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the International Space Station is seen from space shuttle Endeavour as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation on March 24, 2008 during NASA's STS-123 mission. Japan's new Kibo ("hope" in Japanese) storage module appears as the squat cylinder atop the central module in this view.

Go, Robot, Go!

Credit: NASA

Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), is seen in the grasp of the International Space Station's robotic arm while Space Shuttle Endeavour is docked with the station.

Port of Entry

Credit: NASA TV

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (in red striped spacesuit) works on the International Space Station's new Poisk module to activate its docking port systems in a spacewalk on Jan. 14, 2010.

How Do You Like Me Node?

Credit: NASA

STS-130 shuttle pilot Terry Virts (bottom), mission specialist Stephen Robinson (top right)and station astronaut Soichi Noguchi of Japan are pictured in the newly-installed Tranquility node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station on Feb. 14, 2010.

Windows On the Wolrd

Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station's new Cupola observation dome is seen with all seven of its window shutters open on Feb. 17, 2010 after a spacewalk to unlock its launch restraints during NASA's STS-130 mission.

Greet the Dawn

Credit: NASA

Atlantis astronauts attach the new Russian-built Rassvet ("Dawn") module to an Earth-facing port of the Zarya module of the International Space Station on May 18, 2010. Rassvet is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia.

To be Continued

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station continues to grow. A new storage closet and Russian laboratory are expected to complete the station by 2011, when NASA's shuttle fleet retires.

It's Your Destiny...Join Me

Credit: NASA

NASA's Destiny laboratory forms the backbone of the U.S. science presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Destiny module (backdropped against the Earth at bottom) appears here in a photograph by the STS-98 astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, who delivered the lab to the ISS after a Feb. 7, 2001 launch.

Oh, Canada Arm!

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) received a new robotic arm, UHF antenna and science racks for the Destiny laboratory after the arrival of the STS-100 astronaut crew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 21, 2001.

Come Back To Me

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) awaits the addition of more modules and support elements in this image taken by the STS-114 shuttle crew aboard Discovery Aug. 6, 2005. Discovery and its crew launched on July 26, 2005, more than two years after NASA grounded its shuttle fleet following the Columbia disaster. Discovery is slated to again visit the ISS during STS-121, a second test flight scheduled to visit the station no earlier than May 2006. The next construction flight – STS-115 – is slated to launch later.

Back In Action

Credit: NASA

A trio of space shuttle flights resumed construction of the International Space Station following delays related to the 2003 Columbia accident. In September, spacewalkers installed a massive pair of trusses and two broad solar wings to power the station. A December mission launched to rewire the outpost's power grid, install a new truss piece and swap out one station crewmember.

Goodbye, Columbus

Credit: NASA

Backdropped by a blue and white Earth, the International Space Station is seen from the shuttle Atlantis as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation on Feb. 18, 2008. The European Columbus lab is visible jutting from the ISS at upper right

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She's a Beauty

Credit: NASA

Sunlight glints off the International Space Station with the blue limb of Earth providing a dramatic backdrop in this photo taken by an astronaut on the shuttle Endeavour just before it docked after midnight on Feb. 10, 2010 during the STS-130 mission.

So Lonely

Credit: NASA

The Russian-built Zarya Control Module was the first piece of the International Space Station (ISS) to take flight in 1998. Here it sits alone in space waiting for additional components and eventual human habitation. The module provides battery power, fuel storage and rendezvous and docking capability for Soyuz and Progress space vehicles.

It Takes Two to Tango

Credit: NASA

The Unity node (in payload bay at bottom) is connected to the International Space Station's (ISS) Russian-built Zarya Control Module (top) during the STS-88 flight aboard NASA's Endeavour space shuttle in December 1998 and was the second major piece to join the orbital outpost.

From Russia With Love

Credit: NASA

The Russian-built Zvezda Service Module (at top with spacecraft attached) was launched atop a Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on July 12, 2000. The Zvezda provides living quarters and performs some life support system functions for the International Space Station.

All Trussed Up

Credit: NASA

Launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Oct. 11, 2000, the STS-92 astronauts installed the Z1-Truss at the International Space Station (ISS). Inside the Z1 are four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) that provide the International Space Station's attitude control. A third pressurized mating adapter was installed on the Unity Node, providing an additional Shuttle docking port. A Ku-band antenna provides television capability.

Get Your Wings

Credit: NASA

The space shuttle Endeavour launched toward the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 30, 2000, where astronauts installed the P6 truss and the platform's wing-like solar arrays during NASA's STS-97 orbiter mission.

Rip It Up

Credit: NASA

A close-up of the large tear and a smaller rip (to right of larger one) on the one of two Port 6 solar wings on the International Space Station.

Harmony, Italian-Style

Credit: NASA

The Italian-built Harmony connecting node and its PMA-2 shuttle docking port hang off the end of the International Space Station's robotic arm during a Nov. 14, 2007 move by the Expedition 16 crew

Hope of a Nation

Credit: NASA

Backdropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the International Space Station is seen from space shuttle Endeavour as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation on March 24, 2008 during NASA's STS-123 mission. Japan's new Kibo ("hope" in Japanese) storage module appears as the squat cylinder atop the central module in this view.

Go, Robot, Go!

Credit: NASA

Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), is seen in the grasp of the International Space Station's robotic arm while Space Shuttle Endeavour is docked with the station.

Port of Entry

Credit: NASA TV

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (in red striped spacesuit) works on the International Space Station's new Poisk module to activate its docking port systems in a spacewalk on Jan. 14, 2010.

How Do You Like Me Node?

Credit: NASA

STS-130 shuttle pilot Terry Virts (bottom), mission specialist Stephen Robinson (top right)and station astronaut Soichi Noguchi of Japan are pictured in the newly-installed Tranquility node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station on Feb. 14, 2010.

Windows On the Wolrd

Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station's new Cupola observation dome is seen with all seven of its window shutters open on Feb. 17, 2010 after a spacewalk to unlock its launch restraints during NASA's STS-130 mission.

Greet the Dawn

Credit: NASA

Atlantis astronauts attach the new Russian-built Rassvet ("Dawn") module to an Earth-facing port of the Zarya module of the International Space Station on May 18, 2010. Rassvet is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia.

To be Continued

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station continues to grow. A new storage closet and Russian laboratory are expected to complete the station by 2011, when NASA's shuttle fleet retires.

It's Your Destiny...Join Me

Credit: NASA

NASA's Destiny laboratory forms the backbone of the U.S. science presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Destiny module (backdropped against the Earth at bottom) appears here in a photograph by the STS-98 astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, who delivered the lab to the ISS after a Feb. 7, 2001 launch.

Oh, Canada Arm!

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) received a new robotic arm, UHF antenna and science racks for the Destiny laboratory after the arrival of the STS-100 astronaut crew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 21, 2001.

Come Back To Me

Credit: NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) awaits the addition of more modules and support elements in this image taken by the STS-114 shuttle crew aboard Discovery Aug. 6, 2005. Discovery and its crew launched on July 26, 2005, more than two years after NASA grounded its shuttle fleet following the Columbia disaster. Discovery is slated to again visit the ISS during STS-121, a second test flight scheduled to visit the station no earlier than May 2006. The next construction flight – STS-115 – is slated to launch later.

Back In Action

Credit: NASA

A trio of space shuttle flights resumed construction of the International Space Station following delays related to the 2003 Columbia accident. In September, spacewalkers installed a massive pair of trusses and two broad solar wings to power the station. A December mission launched to rewire the outpost's power grid, install a new truss piece and swap out one station crewmember.

Goodbye, Columbus

Credit: NASA

Backdropped by a blue and white Earth, the International Space Station is seen from the shuttle Atlantis as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation on Feb. 18, 2008. The European Columbus lab is visible jutting from the ISS at upper right